Tim Banks is the CEO of APM, a Canada wide construction and property development company, with its head office in Charlottetown, PEI. My family has lived on PEI for over eight generations and I was born at the Prince County Hospital in Summerside, PEI. I am hoping someone will soon develop a blood test to authenticate when you actually become an "Islander" as I am still having problems explaining where I'm from?

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Well this should make the race interesting but I doubt if it will be that close... there are only two real candidates here that have any chance of tweaking the delegates interest and that would be Crane and Ballem... my guest is Crane has a big head start and will likely win but the late entry of the "old guard" shows there is some dissention within the Tory party especially when you see Mike Currie backing Ballem... I'll predict that Crane will win on the second ballot as Ballem doesn't have enough wind in his sails to power up the party.....

Ballem joins P.E.I. Tory leadership raceCBCWednesday, August 4, 2010

Jamie Ballem put to rest days of speculation Wednesday by confirming that he has joined the race to lead the Progressive Conservative Party of P.E.I.

Calling it the "hardest decision I've ever had to make," Ballem said he waited until almost the last minute to file his nomination papers, getting them in just before the deadline on Friday."It's been back and forth. One day I was absolutely going, the next day not. It was never a case of, 'Can I do the job?' or 'Do I want the job?' but really, 'Where can I make the best contribution?"

Ballem is a familiar face in Prince Edward Island politics. He was an MLA from 1996 to 2007 and served as environment minister under former premier Pat Binns. He lost his seat in the 2007 elections and soon after opened an energy company to promote the development of wind power.

Ballem said he has the experience to run the party and the province, and would make economic development his top priority.

"How can we get businesses and our kids to come back home? How can we provide them with opportunities?" he said Wednesday. "I think that's what we have to do. We have to build the economy, we have to diversify as much as we can."

Ballem's bid means Island Tories will have five leadership candidates to choose from; Jamie Fox, Olive Crane, Fred McCardle and Peter Lewellyn are also running in the leadership race.Some party faithful have already hailed Ballem as just what the party needs. Mike Currie, an MLA who many pinned as a potential candidate himself, has thrown his support behind Ballem."I've always found him to be honest,… dedicated to rural P.E.I. He'll listen. Those are the values I believe in, and I support him."

Another of Ballem's supporters is his mother, Myrtle. At first she didn't want him to get back into politics, but she said she eventually came around. "I was very proud of what he did when he was in power," she said. "I said, 'You left your mark. Is there any more to be done?' and he said, 'There's a lot more to be done.' So I back him."

Ballem's late entry into the race means he will have to work hard to catch up on the campaign trail. The party's leadership convention takes place in early October.

Ballem had no choice but to run..he was out of work his windmilldeal fell apart and if we notice no other Government has picked it up either.

What does an out of work former Tory Cabinet Minister do when the Liberals are in Government. he tries relive old glory days in the hopes he can get a job.

Tim you are right..rumour has it that ballem unless he wins the Leadership will NOT even be running in the next election. Even if he wins the Leadership rumour is that he will be running against Buck Watts because he even knowsas Leader he can't oust Robert Vessey.

Ballem's entry into the race shows what is wrong with the Tories..They are still living in the past no new fresh blood has decided they have a even a remote chance of winning the next election so no new faces have put their names forward.

Ballen,Crane McCardle all Binns Government has Beens. Llewelyn doesn't even rank with Mccardle.